When the dust settles
by maddiehendu
Summary: This is right after season six and kind of has spoilers so watch out. This is my take on a reaction Ray could have had after the season's events. All these of these will be one-shots.


Ray walked back into Sandy's house. His legs felt like lead weights as he turned and fell into the couch. Everything caught up to him, and his eyes began closing against his will.

Across the room, Bridget saw her father begin to list to one side on the couch and looked at him with a watery smile. Did he fuck up her life at points, yeah, but he was sick and she knew she would always love him yeah. When he crumpled over to one side fully, she could just see him later trying to get up with a pain in his back, wanting the closeness to her dad and to avoid hearing him grunt in pain all the next day, she sat down next to him and let him rest on her shoulder. Around thirty minutes went by and everyone was sitting around the living room drinking quietly. Sandy was actually the first to notice something was wrong

"Eh Mickey looks like Raymond needs that story you told'em to sleep," she said while jabbing her cigarette in rays general direction. Everyone looks over to Ray, curious about what is going on.

_He couldn't get to Bridge in time. _

_Mac did not keep is fucking word and killed his little girl. _

_Bridge is fucking dead because of him. _

_It's all his fault. _

_Bunch got arrested because I wasn't good enough, Mickey is fucking over Daryll because he followed what I said to do._

_The blood is coming again, all the peoples' blood and pain he has harmed is leaking out of him._

_Lena is telling him he's gonna die alone. _

_Bridge is asking him to let her go, he can't though or else Lena will be right he is so fucking alone._

_Terry is telling him he can't fucking quit but he is so fucking tired. _

Rays eyes squeezed down rapidly, head tilting away to hide his face. Everyone is tense sitting in the living room with bated breath to see if Ray will calm down. Bridget mouths to Terry.

"What should I do ?" Terry just shakes his head no and starts to get up and to go over and wake Ray up. Smitty feels a pang of sympathy for Mr. Donovan, the dude has to be so tired.

"Should we just wait him out before we wake him up, he has to be tired ?" Smitty says at a full drunken volume. Ray makes a deep noise in the back of his throat and curls into himself at Smitty's words, his knees twitch upwards like he wants to bring them to his chest but he thinks better of it. Terry gives Smitty a look and Smitty backs off with his hand in surrender and a shake of the head. Terry reaches down and shakes Rays' shoulder and shakes him harder than he meant to.

_Mick is pointing a gun to his head in his own goddamn house._

_He takes a step forward and shakes him, yelling to bring him the three million dollars. _

_The old fuck must not get it, he GAVE the money back so he pulls his arm away and takes a swing at his head. _

Ray moved way faster than Briget would have expected, it seems like in the span of a second her dad is asleep than his eyes are flying open and he is twisting back to slam a fist into Terry's jaw. Terry lands straight on his ass and groans out in pain. Ray, still in the nightmare grabs Bridget and chokes her, Bridget gags and her eyes fill with panic

"Where is Bridget you mother fucker"

"Dad...Da" Smitty looks over with wide eyes and makes a snap decision to tackle Ray. They both go slamming into the floor, right over Terry's foot. Terry lets out a short scream, at least two of his toes just got broken, he slides his foot out from under Ray and Daryll grabs his hand and slides him to the other side of the room.

"When did Daryll get involved ?" thinks Terry. Daryll pulls Smitty off of Ray and Ray skitters backward until his back hits something solid, the kitchen table stops his path. Everyone seems to freeze and look at Ray. His hand is pulled up around his ears to block out sound and tears are quietly streaming down his cheeks.

Mickey chooses that moment to speak "Well what are we gonna fucking do with him?" the room lets out an exasperated sigh

Daryll whisper yells "Shut up he is saying something!" Everyone quiets down. Ray mumbles on repeat.

"Where's Mac? I need 'em"

"Mac where ya at?"

"Mac, I need Mac"

Bridget lets out a sob, her dads only lifeline killed himself. Daryll looks back at her sympathetically, it has to be hard seeing her dad like this but he can't focus on that now. He duck walks closer to Ray, who pulls away from him a little.

"Hey uh Ray I know you're scared but you gotta take a breath man." A puff of air comes out of Ray's mouth. Good, he is hearing me thinks Daryll.

"Mac killed himself Ray but your okay, Bridget is okay, everything is okay man" Daryll keeps repeating things to this sentiment and Rays breathing becomes more regular, he finally looks up and locks his gaze on Bridget's teary eyes, and everyone's smiles full of pity. Ray blinks rapidly then he forces himself to stand, wobbling slightly at the top, Daryll goes to help steady him but Ray slaps his hand away. Not bringing his eyes back up, Ray says

"Sorry," in a low grumble and all but runs out of the house, no one makes a move to stop him and Sandy shrugs,

"Anybody want a swig of my gin?"


End file.
